Doodles aren’t really “art” are they? Meet Shantell Martin, the inspiring British artist whose work has been challenging that very notion for years. Watch the video to be inspired by her story and then keep scrolling to create your own work inspired by her style of drawing.

Follow the Pen

Materials needed:

–Black marker (you can use a black crayon, black Sharpie, black oil pastel, black ball-point pen, black ink or black paint with a brush. You could even get really creative and do this project with black electrical tape and scissors if that’s all you have! )

–Piece of white paper (can use the inside of a cracker box, pizza box or any other recycled paper product that is white). If you have permission, and you have a Sharpie, you can draw on a pair of white shoes, a white t-shirt (put a piece of cardboard underneath so it doesn’t bleed through), a white coffee mug or anything else you might find.

STEP ONE: Draw a long continuous line. This line will be the “backbone” of your drawing.

STEP TWO: Take a look at the spaces and shapes created by the lines. What do they remind you of? Do stories begin to unfold? Do certain words immediately spring to mind? Don’t overthink things. Embrace playfulness and start filling in the spaces with wacky characters or inspirational words. Draw inspiration from Shantell’s work but don’t copy her exact images. Infuse your own images and visuals into your work. Consider the people you see, the animals outside, favorite patterns you wear or your favorite shapes.

STEP THREE: Having some trouble? Turn on some music or try drawing standing up. You’ll be able to move your arms more freely when standing. Try rotating the paper and looking at your shapes from a different angle.

STEP FOUR: Fill in all of the blank spaces and shapes!

STEP FIVE: Celebrate your creativity! Hang your finished work somewhere you’ll be able to see it. Did you draw on a shirt or pair of shoes? Wear them with pride! Don’t forget to send us a picture of your finished work so we can feature it on social media: assistantdirector@gloucesterarts.org